Loving Each Day
by divsalley
Summary: So... themakorrasociety on Tumblr organized Makorra week and I participated... here are my entries and drabbles... I'll add as I write more. :D
1. Day 1 - Playful

It was infuriating, really, how he deliberately bumped his knee against hers as he sat beisde her for dinner with Tenzin and his family at Air Temple Island. And if that wasn't enough, the subtlety with which he took her hand in his under the table made her jump and and glare at him for tormenting her. A triumphant smirk was spread across his handsome features which incensed her.

But the minute he winked and smiled at her, she couldn't bring herself to be angry with him anymore.

Korra had always assumed that Mako's upbringing had left him far too serious to ever goof off or just do something for laughs... And she was right for the most part, but in the four months they'd been together he'd surprised her more and more with little gestures like literally sweeping her off her feet with a tight embrace or simply sneaking in little pecks and kisses whenever he gotthe chance.

His demeanor almost seemed... playful.

And it was his playfulness that had brought on the little wager in the first place.

Two days ago, Pema had caught them in the middle of a steamy makeout session by one of the few spots that Korra thought was secluded. They were thankful that her only reprimand for them had been to be more careful.

* * *

_"You! This is all your fault!" she groused, even though she wasn't actually annoyed at him._

_"Me? How's this my fault?" he chuckled._

_"If you weren't such a good kisser, I probably wouldn't have been distracted! I would've been able to tell if someone was approaching!" she snapped._

_"So you admit I'm good!" he said triumphantly. Too triumphantly._

_"Take it easy, City Boy! You can't let go of a chance to get a kiss from me, so... don't even start!"_

_"Oh yeah? Well, I'll bet you wouldn't last a week without a kiss from me!" he declared._

_"Getting cocky, are we? Wanna bet?"_

_"You're on! What're the stakes?"_

_"Whoever gives in first... will have to do whatever the winner wants... for a week," she said with a smirk, although surprised he'd been so ready to take the bet._

_"Okay, then... We need to have some rules," he insisted._

_"You and your rules!" she snickered. "Fine... let's hear 'em!"_

_"Kissing on the cheek... should be allowed," he smirked._

_"Ok, but... nothing below the jaw. Deal?" she asked, extending her hand._

_"Deal," he said as he shook it._

_Before he knew it, she'd dragged him towards her and kissed him until the need to breathe forced them to break apart._

_"We start now," she declared with a smirk as she walked away, leaving him stunned._

* * *

The first day went by with Korra keeping herself busy with Airbending training and Council meetings while Mako busied himself at the Police Academy. It went fairly well until he got home. His usual routine was to find Korra by the Baguazhang gates and spend some time alone with her before heading inside for dinner. His feet automatically took him to the training area and he didn't even think of what they'd do for the next two hours before they had to head back inside.

He found her finishing one last round by the gates with flourish as her eyes darted to where he was standing. She smiled as she ran towards him to give him one of her rib crushing hugs which he never tired of. But instead of kissing him senseless like she usually would, she settled for an extra tight hug that nearly winded him.

"Hi," she said after what seemed like ages. He simply hummed.

He let her down just after she kissed him on the cheek and winked.

"Keeping it together, are we?" he asked her.

"I'm not losing this bet," she said.

"We'll see," he whispered as he trailed kisses from her earlobe to her jaw.

She stiffened, knowing full well what his intentions were.

"I... need to go take a shower," she stammered as she reluctantly wriggled out of his grip.

"Yeah, uhm... me too," he said, clearing his throat.

* * *

The next morning had been full of close calls. **_Deliberate_** close calls. Subtle touches while deliberately taking a longer time to finish their usual walk around the Temple before she had to go train for the day before dinner. By the time she had to go train, they'd both almost lost the bet quite a few times.

So they ended up at the dinner table with Tenzin and his family a few hours later with Mako subtly bumping his knee as he sat beside her and subtly took her hand, making her jump. He winked at her as she glared at him, loving how she tried not to soften while he was annoying her so. He tried to make up to her by simply kissing her temple before going to his room.

As she watched him go, she realized how... free he'd been since they'd returned from the South Pole. So instead of going to bed herself, she snuck past the hallway that led to the men's dormitories and slid the door to Mako's room aside. He was already asleep, so she simply sat there to watch him. She sighed and wondered what happened to the broody, uptight, reserved teenager she'd met almost a year ago. She smiled at the memory of how he'd brushed her off when they'd first met... How did that guy turn into this goofy, playful, idiot?

"Mako... Mako, wake up!" she whispered.

He stirred as she gently ruffled his hair. At first he smiled as he realized who it was, but then he shot up and stared at her.

"Korra! You can't be here! What'll Tenzin say?" he hissed.

"Relax... I came here to ask you something," she said as she took his hands in hers.

"What? What happened?" he asked in a dazed tone.

"Were you... I mean when we first met you were less likely to take a bet than I was to stay quiet when someone challenged me to a duel," she chuckled. "But... ever since we came back, you've... been different."

"I... Well, I've... never been happier," he said with a smile. "Is that... bad?"

"No! No! I mean... I'm glad you're... happier and... I don't mind the grouch, either, but still... I was just wondering what changed," she shrugged.

"You," he said as he sat up and pulled her close. She was shocked at his admission.

"Mako, I... don't want to change you! I mean... I just... I-" he'd cut her short by kissing her.

"You just make me happier. Now is that so bad?" he asked her.

"No..."

"And now... I'm just trying to think of how you're going to make me pay for losing the bet," he snickered.

"Let's just call it a draw," she said as she kissed him again.


	2. Day 2 - Snuggle

_This is more of a drabble than anything else, honestly… :)_

* * *

Over the years Mako had memorized every detail of Korra's body… just like she had his. He knew exactly how many birthmarks she had and where… just like she knew about his. He knew which spots were sensitive to his touch… the ones that would make her moan or hiss or call out his name… exactly like she knew about his.

And after they'd used that extensive knowledge to bring each other excruciating pleasure with a hint of torturous pain that drove them insane, they'd snuggle up against each other tangled in their very own cocoon of blankets and sheets, holding on to each other as tightly as lifelines.

It was in moments like these that they realized that they'd never, ever be able to imagine their lives without each other.


	3. Day 3 - Weakness

She **_hated_** his smile.

She hated that self righteous smirk that found its way to his lips whenever he thought he'd beaten her at something. She hated that triumphant smile that he flashed at her whenever he was so pleased with himself. She absolutely loathed that little smile he'd give her every time they'd see each other, making her lose track of everything else.

She hated the defeated smile he'd give her every time she had to leave… because she could clearly see the tiny flecks of sadness deep in his amber eyes. But most of all, she hated the relieved smile he gave her before she ran towards him to give him a rib crushing hug. There was such love in it that it made her heart skip a beat…

She **_loved_** his smile.

It was her biggest weakness.


	4. Day 4 - Grateful

His words rang in her ears, jarring her completely.

Of course she'd wanted him to say it for quite some time now… She'd known there was something between then from the very beginning. But that was in another lifetime… another part of her that was violently ripped from her. She didn't know which part of her he'd meant those words for. Because if he meant it for the stubborn, headstrong girl he'd first met, she didn't exist anymore… and she couldn't risk being rejected again.

So she ran.

For the first time in her life, she ran. And she **_hated_** herself for it. But who was she, really? Who had Amon turned her into? Rage and pain filled her at the very thought of him. He'd taken away everything she'd ever believed about herself. It was everything she'd ever known since she'd discovered she was the Avatar. And now, it was all gone. And she didn't know what to make of that.

She was grateful for Naga. She was the only friend who'd never, ever leave her side even though everything about her had changed. All she ever asked was for love and friendship. That was something she still had left to give. But she couldn't dull the sting of Mako's pained voice as he called out to her before she disappeared on Naga, away from him… from everyone.

"They deserve better," she told herself firmly. "They don't deserve the failure I've become."

Tears blurred her vision as she thought about how fervently she'd hoped Katara would be able to fix what was broken inside her. She didn't understand why the greatest Waterbender she'd ever known couldn't fix her. She couldn't even count on her anymore.

_"It wasn't for her to fix, Korra,"_ a calm voice inside her answered… somewhere deep in her subconscious.

"Then who can?" she asked it, just as quietly.

_"Only you can know that… Only you can fix what's broken inside you,"_ the voice said.

"How? How can I mend the connection I had to that part of me? It's gone!" she thought furiously. "It's gone, and it will never come back."

_"The Avatar Spirit chose you for a reason, Korra… Believe in that… in yourself."_

"Am I still the Avatar without my bending? Am I still carrying the Spirit of a thousand lifetimes inside me?" she asked herself.

_"And if you weren't… would that be so bad?"_ the voice asked her.

"It's all I've ever known," Korra thought desperately as tears spilled on to her cheeks, its warmth burning her cold skin.

_"Then find yourself again… You were strong before… you're strong now. Find yourself again,"_ the voice declared firmly.

She heard the slow crunch of boots on the snow and wiped her tears as she saw the hem of his saffron and ochre robes.

"Not now, Tenzin… I just wanna be left alone," she said in a shaky voice.

"But _**you**_ called **_me_** here!" a very familiar voice replied gently.

A voice that she recognized from somewhere deep within her spirit… A voice she vaguely remembered possessing in another life. The shock of it made her turn. The tall, handsome Airbender who was smiling benignly at her was someone she'd known very closely. Someone she'd arranged to meet ages ago but had quite forgotten about the arrangement.

"Aang!" she exclaimed softly, an odd sense of relief washing over her.

"You're finally connected with your spiritual self," he declared.

"How?" she asked. She had so many questions… Was that voice her spirit? Was it her own spirit, the one that was still connected in some way to the Avatar?

"When we hit our lowest point, we are open to the greatest change," Aang smiled.

Then she understood. She'd finally accepted, however slightly, the possibility of having to go through life without her abilities when the voice inside her had asked her to find herself again. And find herself she did… in **_him._** In _**all**_ of them as she saw more of them across the glacier. She felt a familiarity… a sense of oneness with every single one of them in a part of her that she knew had been waiting to be tapped into. They were welcoming her as if they'd been waiting for her to come meet them. And she finally had.

* * *

Mako ran across the tundra, snow seeping into his boots and numbing his toes. Tenzin had asked him to be patient with her… and for a while he'd even considered it.

But then he realized that _**she'd**_ never be patient if he'd run away from her like that… and he felt the cold seep into his bones in a way that frightened him. He loved her. It was that simple. She needed to believe him. He needed her to believe him desperately. And when he finally found Naga, he felt hope surge through him, giving him a fresh spurt of energy as he ran towards her. But as he watched her bend not just air, but fire, earth, and water as well, he stood awestruck and rooted to the spot.

* * *

She felt the power of the Avatar State leave her as the realization sunk in. She had finally made contact with her past lives… and she could bend again. She could sense someone else's presence behind her, so she turned to look. And what she saw made her heart stop.

Mako was there, smiling and waiting for her. She'd rejected him; crushed his feelings like they were nothing; she'd run away from him… But he came for her. Despite the way she'd brushed him aside, he came for her… without any resentment. He was actually smiling at her.

So she ran.

And this time, she ran towards him… and when he opened his arms wide for her, she hugged him tight, hoping he'd understand and forgive her for treating him so harshly. But the way he held her and spun her around told her that he didn't hold it against her… that he understood. So when he set her down, she told him something she'd wanted to tell him ever since he'd admitted his feelings to her.

"I love you, too."

Then she kissed him, so very grateful for his support and love… not at all worried about the strange ways he showed it… Because in the end, they were in love…and they were simply grateful for each other.


	5. Day 5 - Scars

"What're you doing?" she asked groggily as he ran his fingers gently over her back.

"Looking at your scars," he replied softly.

He seemed to be perusing her skin at leisure, as if he had all the time in the world… He **_did_**, but… looking at all the scars on her back made him wince. He knew Korra got into a few fights… and her constant training didn't make it any easier on her to let her bruises heal before she could get new ones. He was examining a particularly jagged scar on her lower back when her voice shook him out of his musings.

"What for? You've seen 'em!"

"I know… I just… You've been hurt a lot," he muttered.

"So have you," she shrugged matter-of-factly.

He chuckled as he kissed a scar on her shoulder. She laughed at this and turned to face him. He paused for a minute to take her in… She looked absolutely gorgeous with her hair mussed up and her smooth, mocha skin bathed in the little moonlight their bedroom's windows let in.

"In fact… you've given me a few scars yourself," she smirked. Her voice struck just the right octave to make his heart race.

He smiled slyly as he looked at the red marks on her neck and shoulders. He knew there were more, but he simply sighed as he wrapped his arms tighter around her waist.

"Not unlike the ones you've given me," he whispered, his lips only an inch away from hers.

She chuckled as she kissed him, inviting him in her own special way to give her some more scars she'd never forget.


End file.
